The 35-year-old served in the British Army for 19 years
A soldier from Northern Ireland has opened up on the impact of losing his hearing after the use of “faulty” combat earplugs.
Johnny Bradley joined the British Army’s 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment in 2006 aged 16, serving for 19 years, including two deployments to Afghanistan and one to the Falklands. He and his colleagues believed their hearing was protected by the 3M Combat Arms Earplugs version 2 (CAEv2) they were issued with.
However, the 35-year-old has now joined thousands of other troops in a lawuit against 3M, the US supplier of the earplugs. UK law firm KP Law, hich is bringing the UK’s first group action lawsuit against 3M on behalf of thousands of affected British troops, claim the CAEv2s did not give users the protection they claimed to offer.
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During his time in the military, particularly as an ordnance specialist, Johnny was exposed to loud noises both in training and on operational tours.
The dad-of-two now suffers from “constant” tinnitus, a high-pitched ringing in his ears, and must wear hearing aids in both ears to hear everyday sounds due to hearing loss. He said his hearing damage exacerbates his ADHD, and contributes to his anxiety and sporadic bouts of depression.
Johnny said: “I spent most of my time in a mortar platoon exposed to loud noises It’s frustrating to learn that my colleagues and I were issued with kit that was meant to protect us but didn’t.
“I’m only 35 and I have to wear hearing aids in both ears. The hearing loss is rubbish but the tinnitus is worse. It’s constant, including at night. I really struggle to switch off.”
Johnny recalled how he got emotional after being given his hearing aids. He said: “I cried when I got the hearing aids because suddenly I could hear birds singing and other sounds that previously hadn’t been able to hear. They have changed my life, but I would really rather not have to wear them.
“I suffer with autism and ADHD. Not being able to hear properly, and my constant tinnitus, makes my autism worse. I struggle in crowded spaces. It adds to my anxiety and depression.
“As a young soldier, I just thought: ‘The British Army is the best in the world, so the kit we’re issued with will do the job it’s meant to do.’ It turns out I was wrong.”
At the end of September, KP Law issued its letter before acting, outlining the details of the case it is bringing in UK courts on behalf of the troops it is representing.
It comes after 3M, a global conglomerate headquartered in Minnesota, agreed in 2023 to set aside more than $6bn to settle claims from US military personnel. 3M supplied at least 400,000 sets of CAEv2s to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) over 20 years, from 2003 to 2023.
The Royal British Legion estimates more than 300,000 men and women who served in Britain’s Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force now suffer from life-changing hearing difficulties. As well as hearing loss and tinnitus, many British troops now suffer from related issues including stress, anxiety and depression.
KP Law launched a campaign earlier this year calling for affected UK veterans and armed forces personnel to sign up to its group action lawsuit against 3M.
With thousands now having joined the claim, KP Law’s pre-action letter puts 3M on formal notice of potential court action in the UK seeking justice and compensation for British troops affected.
Tom Longstaff, partner and head of product liability at KP Law, said: “Our message is clear: the service men and women who used this defective product believed their hearing was protected as they risked their lives in combat. It is only right that they now receive justice and compensation, as has been made available to American users of the device in the United States.”
Earlier this year Neil Shastri-Hurst, MP for Solihull West & Shirley, demanded an independent public inquiry into the 3M earplugs scandal.
At defence questions in the House of Commons, addressing Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, he said: “For many veterans hearing loss is one of the hidden scars of service. In a number of cases that has been linked with defective 3M hearing equipment.
“Will the Minister use their arts of persuasion on the Prime Minister to have an independent inquiry to see the extent of this, whether any other equipment is involved and how we can prevent it happening again?”
Military vets who have previously joined a claim against the MoD are also able to join KP Law’s claim against 3M. KP Law’s claim against 3M is entirely separate.
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